Saudi Arabia Intercepts Six Ballistic Missiles Fired by Houthi Rebels

Saudi Arabia's military intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on September 24, thwarting attacks on the southern provinces of Taif and Yanbu. The attack on Yanbu comes after operations restarted at the East-West pipeline terminal, a key route for Saudi oil exports. The Houthis have largely targeted southern areas of Saudi Arabia since declaring a naval blockade against it in July.

The Riyadh-backed government's forces had repelled overnight attacks by the Houthis on a critical supply route to the southern port city of Aden, where the internationally recognized administration is based. The road, known as Hejat al-Abd, is a lifeline for forces fighting on behalf of Yemen's government and is also crucial for goods entering Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city.

The fighting has resulted in more than 700 people killed and thousands wounded, with nearly 130,000 Yemenis displaced within the country. The Houthis' seizure of the western coast has brought them to the shores of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb waterway.